This invention relates to a drive apparatus into which a plurality of storage media in which various data files of, for example, music data and so forth can be stored can be loaded.
In recent years, a storage medium of a small size in which a semiconductor recording element such as, for example, a flash memory is loaded has been developed. The storage medium of the type mentioned is built in a drive apparatus for exclusive use or a drive apparatus for the storage medium is built in an audio/video apparatus or an information apparatus so that computer data, still picture data, moving picture data, music data and/or audio data can be recorded into the storage medium.
Meanwhile, such media as a CD (compact disc) and an MD (mini disc: trademark) have conventionally spread widely as media for recording music data thereon, and they can be recorded and played back by a CD player and an MD recorder/player, respectively.
On the other hand, a so-called changer player is conventionally known which accommodates a plurality of media such as, CDs or MDs and can selectively play back the media.
For the changer player, a user can select a desired CD from among a plurality of CDs and cause it to be played back or can cause a different CD to be played back after reproduction of a certain CD without manually exchanging of an accommodated CD or the like.
However, the changer player described above has the following problems. In particular, the changer player includes, as components thereof, a storage section for storing a plurality of media such as CDs, a mechanism deck section at a reproduction position at which an optical head, a spindle motor and so forth are disposed, and a transport mechanism for taking out one medium from within the storage section, transporting it to the reproduction position and transporting, after playback of the medium comes to an end, the medium back to the storage position thereof. Further, the changer player requires a space for allowing such movement of a medium by the transport mechanism. Consequently, it cannot be avoided that the changer player be complicated in construction and be large in size.
Further, since while a medium is being exchanged by the transport mechanism, naturally reproduction sound is interrupted, even if a plurality of media are successively exchanged to continuously play them back, reproduction sound is interrupted for a time required for each exchanging procedure (for example, approximately 5 to 10 seconds). Where music data are reproduced successively, it is felt by the user that the silence period of approximately 5 to 10 seconds is considerably long, and this sometimes degrades the feeling of the user in enjoying the reproduction.
It is to be noted that the changer player can be constructed such that, in order to prevent such silence for a medium exchanging period, reproduction data are stored into a buffer memory and, upon exchanging, the reproduction data from the buffer memory are outputted. However, naturally this requires a memory device of a comparatively large capacity and requires complicated control in reading out operation and buffering operation.
Further, as a medium is mechanically moved by the transport mechanism, it is necessary to realize assurance of durability and minimization of operation sound, And it is necessary to make various technical contrivances. Also this makes an obstacle to simplification of the apparatus construction.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a drive apparatus wherein a plurality of media each including a memory element can be successively accessed to continuously write and/or read out data into and/or from the media.
In order to attain the object described above, according to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a drive apparatus for writing and/or reading out data into and from a recording medium which includes a memory element, comprising loading means for loading a plurality of storage media such that data are individually written into and/or read out from the storage media, accessing means for accessing the storage media loaded in the loading means to write and/or read out the data into and from the storage media, and control means for controlling, when the plurality of storage media are loaded in the loading means, the accessing means to continuously perform writing into and/or reading out from the plurality of storage media loaded in the loading means.
Preferably, the drive apparatus further comprises selection means for allowing the accessing means to selectively access one of the plurality of storage media loaded in the loading means.
With the drive apparatus, only by controlling the selection condition of the selection means and the accessing operation of the accessing means with regard to the plurality of recording media loaded in the loading means, it is possible to perform successive accessing to the plurality of storage media without any interruption in time or to immediately access any of the plurality of recording media when it is designated. Consequently, when it is tried to continuously reproduce data such as, for example, music data or in a like case, little time is required for changing over of the recording medium of an object of accessing, and consequently, for example, such a situation that the user is obliged to wait while no sound is outputted as reproduction sound is eliminated. Also another situation wherein the user must wait for a certain period of time after the user designates a tune to be reproduced is eliminated. In other words, the drive apparatus is advantageous in that it can provide a reproduction output satisfactory to the user. Further, the drive apparatus is useful to its user naturally in that data transfer to or between or data recording into a plurality of recording media can be executed efficiently without any time loss.
Further, since it is not necessary to physically move a storage medium in order to exchange a storage medium to be accessed or a place for accommodating those storage media which are not currently an object of accessing is not required, for example, such an accommodation section and a transport section as well as a space for allowing transportation of a storage medium as in a conventional changer player are not required. Also a buffer memory for preventing a reproduction output from being interrupted in time is not necessary. From those, miniaturization of the apparatus and simplification in processing of the apparatus construction can be promoted, and consequently, reduction in cost can be achieved.
Preferably, the drive apparatus further comprises loading detection means for detecting whether or not a storage medium is loaded in each of a plurality of storage medium loading portions of the loading means, the selection means invalidating accessing by the accessing means to any of the storage medium loading portions in which it is detected by the loading detection means that no storage medium is loaded. With the drive apparatus, occurrence of an invalid selection condition is prevented by the selection means, and consequently, an efficient operation can be achieved.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a drive system for writing and/or reading out data into and from a recording medium which includes a memory element, comprising a plurality of storage media, loading means for loading the plurality of storage media such that data are individually written into and/or read out from the storage media, accessing means for accessing the storage media loaded in the loading means to write and/or read out the data into and from the storage media, and control means for controlling, when the plurality of storage media are loaded in the loading means, the accessing means to continuously perform writing into and/or reading out from the plurality of storage media loaded in the loading means.
Preferably, the drive system further comprises selection means for allowing the accessing means to selectively access one of the plurality of storage media loaded in the loading means.
Preferably, the drive system further comprises loading detection means for detecting whether or not a storage medium is loaded in each of a plurality of storage medium loading portions of the loading means, the selection means invalidating accessing by the accessing means to any of the storage medium loading portions in which it is detected by the loading detection means that no storage medium is loaded.
Also with the drive system, similar advantages to those of the drive apparatus described above can be achieved.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like parts or elements denoted by like reference symbols.